


Unglued

by RottenAdel



Category: Gundam 00
Genre: Ali being a dick probably, Blood and Gore, Broken Bones, Gen, Not nice things happening to Setsuna, Torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-10
Updated: 2016-01-10
Packaged: 2018-05-12 23:38:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,256
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5686039
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RottenAdel/pseuds/RottenAdel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was a sport for them, and Neil was the unwilling spectator.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Unglued

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: Your muse is forced to watch mine being tortured. Written quickly on a tablet while my computer decided to install updates I didn't want.

                Lockon liked to think himself an even-keeled man.

                The crew of the Ptolemy would agree. In fact if you were to ask any of them whom of the four Gundam Meisters had the most level-head, they would say Lockon Stratos without a batting an eyelash. Even in dark times he tried to keep things light. Make jokes, smarmy quips, “Look on the bright side”. He was the one everyone went to for advice, the one that would sit at your side while you vented your frustrations and regrets, your sorrow and hatred. And he’d _listen_ , never judge, because that was not his place.  That was Lockon Stratos as everyone knew him.

                But that man was nowhere to be found now. In his place was simply Neil Dylandy, arms bound with duct tape to a rusted metal chair situated at the far end of some warehouse’s sub-basement. They’d done a number on him to get him down in the first place; he was fairly certain at least one of his wrists were broken and no less than three ribs, and as much as he’d like to say the other guy had it worse, he had gotten knocked out in the end.

                But the throb in the back of his head was nothing compared to the pain of the man across from him.

                Mere feet away was Setsuna F. Seiei. The man was only barely conscious at this point, blood running down his body in rivulets that accented the open wounds scattered across his thin frame. Strung up by chains above his head, legs only barely supporting his weight as the world faded in and out around him.

                “Setsuna…” Neil called to him, tried to offer what comfort he could while their captors were away, having apparently become bored with whipping a hostage that did not scream. “Setsuna, can you hear me?”

                Setsuna’s lips moved but no voice was heard. Neil struggled against his binds again, chair rattling, scraping against the cement floor as he tried to get closer. “Setsuna, hang…” No, not the right words considering. “Just hold on. You’re gonna be okay. Just…”

                He could say that, but Neil wasn’t sure _how_ they were going to get out. No commlink, no Haro to track, and to make matters worse, they’d been taken during a resupply mission so they _wouldn’t_ be expected back for at least another day. And judging by how hard they had been going at Setsuna, they might not last that long.

                “Hey, kid… Listen… Can you hear me?” Barely a response. Neil grit his teeth. They needed to get out. Neil needed to get _Setsuna_ out before they came back and did worse to him. If he could just get a hand free, just one he could get the rest of the tape off him and get Setsuna free. If he could manage that then…

                With a metallic screech the door behind them opened, Neil craning his neck to glare hatefully towards the men that entered. Sickening grins, a weapon in each hand. Neil could only imagine what they had in mind for them now.

                “Still awake?” They circled them as Neil rattled the chair, the anger he kept in check for Setsuna’s sake bubbling to the surface once more. “That’s too bad, there’s no time to sleep now.”

                “How about you tell us what you’re after?” Neil seethed, rattling the chair with his struggling. All this time and all they had down was take turns spitting insults and roughing them up. It was clear by how they put Setsuna on display that they wanted something from Neil, but thus far have yet to ask anything of them.

                “Oh, how cute. He wants to bargain.” The blunt end of a bat was ground against Neil’s cheek, Neil glaring hatefully in return. “You want to trade places with him? That’s a shame. We’re only here to play with the Kurdish boy.”

                _The Kurdish boy…_ Neil’s face physically paled. There were very few people that would refer to Setsuna in such a way, and any of them knowing his location meant nothing good.

                The baseball bat was ground against his cheek before being pulled away, the thug circling Setsuna instead. “You see, our client is rather interested in seeing him in the worst ways.” The double entendre didn’t escape Neil and his stomach tied into knots. “And, well, he likes it when he has an audience.”

                _An audience, then… He’s watching…!_ Neil whipped his head around, trying to find him, locate the man that seemed to have made his sole purpose in life to destroy the only child that escaped his regime. But there was no shadowy figure, just empty corners and Setsuna strung up half-nude in front of him.

                One of the thugs grabbed Neil’s hair, forcing him to face forward, to look up at Setsuna’s glassy eyes. It was then their gazes met, a flicker of recognition on Setsuna’s face, voiceless apologies tumbling from his mouth. He thought he could hear him, raspy words. _I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I don’t want you to see this. I’m sorry._

                “Setsuna…!” Neil tried to lean forward, get a better look at his face, hear what he was saying. If only he could get his hands free, if only he could reach up to him, tell him everything was okay…!

                The man reared back, a leg coming up to collide with Setsuna’s back. Setsuna gasped, face screwing up in pain, but he refused to cry out. He wouldn’t give in, he wouldn’t…

                “How’s the view, Lucky? Want more?” A punch was thrown, striking Setsuna’s side, forcing another pained gasp from his lips. All the while Neil pulled against the tape, trying to pull himself free, only to have the other thugs grab his shoulders, his face, force him to watch the scene unfold.

                The fist collided with Setsuna’s stomach, again and again. He coughed, bits of blood coming up, splattering against Neil’s face as he gasped to regain his breath. But still Setsuna refused to cry out, refused to give in to the pain, even as his eyes met Neil’s own horrified gaze.

                “Stop it.” Neil muttered, pulling at the tape more frantically, trying to get free. “Stop it. Stop it! Leave him alone! Let him go!”

                But the thugs only snickered, a sinister grin crossing his face. The man circling Setsuna stepped back, grabbing the previously discarded bat. Setsuna saw it immediately, eyes wide, chains rattling as he tried to get away. He knew what was coming, and Neil… Neil knew too.

                “Stop, don’t!” Neil shout, pulling at his hands in spite of the pain his wrist, ignoring the broken ribs. Help him. Help Setsuna. “Stop! Leave him alone! Setsuna! Setsuna!”

                The man swung, and with a resounding crack it collided with Setsuna’s hip. And Setsuna finally screamed, a choked, agonized cry echoing off the empty cement walls. And it’s only then did Neil get his broken wrist free from the tape, ignoring his own pain in favor of slugging the man holding the bat.

                The rest was a blur of blood and metal to the point that even Neil had difficulty recalling the events once they were found, huddled in an alley not far from the rendezvous point. Neil with his arm laying limply at his side and Setsuna cradled in his lap, unconscious, barely hanging on, grotesque lashmarks along his back and hideous bruises covering his side.

                Lockon liked to think himself an even-keeled man, but now there was only murder in his eye.


End file.
